Whitley County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Corbin and Williamsburg
Whitley County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Whitley County is home to most of Corbin (6,071 of its 7,911 residents) and Williamsburg. Employers here counted 14,880 jobs in 2025, up 23.1% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 120 Kentucky counties). Next door, Bell County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Whitley County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities.
Cities and towns in Whitley County
Whitley County is home to most of Corbin (6,071 of its 7,911 residents) and Williamsburg.
- Corbin also extends into Knox County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Emlyn, Pleasant View, Rockholds.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Whitley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 36,696 | 37,297 | ▲ 1.6% | 28th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,089 | 14,880 | ▲ 23.1% | 8th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,084 | $47,130 | ▲ 20.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 4.3% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
37,297 people live here, up 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Whitley County
Utilities with service territory in Whitley County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 450,673 | 11.85¢ | 32% |
| Cumberland Valley Electric, Inc. | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,478 | 12.87¢ | 28% |
| City of Jellico | Municipal | Bundled | 1,763 | 13.11¢ | 19% |
| Corbin City Utilities Comm | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Whitley County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Whitley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,880 | $47,130 | 1.00 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Whitley County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Whitley County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Bell County.
Whitley County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Whitley County, Bell County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley County | 37,297 | ▲ 23.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Bell County | 22,829 | ▲ 2.3% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Campbell County TN | 40,290 | ▲ 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Claiborne County TN | 33,229 | ▼ 5.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Knox County | 29,532 | ▼ 4.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Laurel County | 63,746 | ▼ 1.7% | 70 MW | — | — | — |
| McCreary County | 17,124 | ▲ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Whitley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Whitley County, Kentucky?
4 utilities have service territory in Whitley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Cumberland Valley Electric, Inc., City of Jellico, Corbin City Utilities Comm. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Whitley County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Whitley County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Bell County.
Is Whitley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,880 jobs in 2025 against 12,089 in 2019 (+23.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Whitley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Whitley County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.